Rowe Park To Serve as HFN’s Training Base The Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Lagos, was chosen to serve as the training base for the U-18 and U-20 Women’s Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) during their preparation to once again try and make their mark on the global stage over the coming days.  The nation’s U-18 team, coached by John Uzor and the U-20 side, led by coach Adewunmi Agbola Shittu, underwent two weeks of rigorous training ahead of the competition, with both coaches having to trim their teams to 14 players each for the regional tournament.  Both squads departed Lagos on Thursday, heading to Abidjan for the IHF Women’s Handball Trophy Zonal Phase, which serves as the first hurdle in securing entry to the IHF Women’s Trophy calendar for the rest of the year.   Nigeria’s U-20 squad features almost the entire U-18 team that put the country on the women’s handball map in the competition by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in the nation’s history.  Coach Shittu is a seasoned campaigner with the national team, having successfully led the U-18s (now the U-20s) to second place at the IHF Women’s Trophy Intercontinental Phase in Uzbekistan last year. However, he believes that this competition will be significantly different to past ones.  « It is a new level of experience, as we haven’t played in the Junior category of the competition before now. We have players who have participated at the Youth level of this competition, but they are motivated to do well at the Junior level, and we will overcome despite it being a different experience.” Those were the words of coach Shittu ahead of the team’s departure to the Ivory Coast, while Uzor, who now leads the current U-18 team, admitted that he and his group of players have big shoes to fill after the former team represented Africa thanks to their success in the zonal and continental phases.  Nigeria U-18 and U20 Final Squads  Following their intensive two-week training camps, Shittu and John were both tasked with selecting the 14 players who would represent the nation at the Zonal Phase from the list of invited athletes. Here is who made the cut:  Nigeria Under-18 Squad Joy Omole  Chetachi Angela Ngaodurubie  Shola Omole  Sharon Okonkwo Princess Ojie  Abigail Nestor  Faisat Balogun  Salamatu Audu  Balikis Mohammed  Success Duru  Phebe Oluwalade  Aliya Adebayo  Sarah Peter Treasure Mike Osagie Nigeria Under-20 Squad Kehinde Babtunde – Aspac HBC Precious Samuel – Rima Queens Esther Mathew – Addidja HBC Chidera Ogbusimba – Rima Queens Prudence Samuel – Rima Queens Christiana Michael – Delta Force Lucy Onyekwere – Rima Queens Aishat Mahmud – Addidja HBC Joy Peters – Rima Queens Amina Mohammed – Rima Queens Rahima Bello – Nestiona HBC Izuoba Ijeoma – Delta Force Mariam Ojo – Funad Falcons Akinlade Damilola – River Queens  Take a look at our list of the best online betting sites for netball here on SportyTrader! More sports news

Rasheed Shows Glimpses of Brilliance on IPL Debut The Chennai Super Kings have endured a very difficult 2025 Indian Premier League season, as the early optimism gained from beating the Mumbai Indians in their tournament opener was quickly extinguished, with the side losing each of their next five games. On April 14, though, CSK fans felt that their team’s fortunes were about to change when their captain, MS Dhoni, steered the side to their second victory of the competition, chasing down Lucknow Super Giants’ 166/7 by five wickets and with three balls to spare.  While most of the headlines went to Dhoni and fellow batter Shivam Dube, who scored 43 off 37 balls and was not out at the end alongside his skipper, one player that caught the eye was 20-year-old debutant Shaik Rasheed.  The youngster from Andhra Pradesh has been a part of the Super Kings setup since 2023, but had never been given the opportunity to play in the senior team, with CSK known for preferring experienced campaigners above younger, untried players.  Against LSG, Rasheed opened the batting alongside New Zealander Rachin Ravindra in the absence of Devon Conway and showed glimpses of his ability as an opener, scoring a quick-fire 27 runs in just 19 deliveries, with 24 of his runs coming by way of boundaries.   The opening pair gave the five-time champions a solid foundation of 52 runs before Rasheed was dismissed, marking only the third time this season that CSK had surpassed 50 runs inside the powerplay overs. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Rasheed could barely contain his excitement and gratitude. He said:  “I am so happy to get a chance after two years. I played really well…Thank you to all the supporters for backing me from the very beginning. You’ve not stopped supporting CSK, it’s very humbling for all of us in the team. Thank you all.” Unfortunately, the 20-year-old’s time at the crease in his first match was cut short after he mistimed a short delivery off Avesh Khan, but there was enough in his innings to suggest that he could be a long-term fixture for the Super Kings for years to come.  Take a look at the best online betting sites for the 2025 IPL! IPL predictions Rasheed’s Journey to IPL Selection Hailing from Guntur, Rasheed represented Andhra Pradesh at the domestic level and developed a reputation as a classy top-order batsman, having featured in 17 first-class matches, racking up 1,204 runs at an average of 37.62.  The youngster has 12 List A and 17 T20 matches under his belt, while he also served as the vice-captain for India’s Under-19s at the 2022 World Cup, where he posted 201 runs in four matches at an average of 50.0.  As mentioned, his performances at the lower levels led CSK to acquire his services ahead of their title-winning season in 2023 for ₹ 20 lakhs, and while he did not feature for them over the next two seasons, the franchise maintained their faith in him ...

From Hero to Zero – Nair’s Dramatic Fall From Grace  Back in 2016, Karun Nair’s future in Indian cricket looked set to take flight after he scored an incredible triple hundred against England in Chennai, becoming only the second Indian batsman to achieve that remarkable feat after Virender Sehwag.  However, since then, the Jodhpur-born batter has faced major disappointment. Directly after his triple century against the Three Lions, he was left out for the next game by then-head coach Anil Kumble, and things began to spiral downward from then on.  In 2022, Nair stepped out in the IPL donning the colours of the Rajasthan Royals, but little did he know it would be his last match for the next 2+ years in the competition. He was struggling for form and was not only dropped by the Royals the following season, but also by his domestic team at the time, Karnataka.  “Dear cricket, give me one more chance.” That was a post that Nair shared on X back in 2022 following his exclusion from RR and Karnataka, and with nowhere to ply his trade, the former India international was forced to relocate to Vidarbha ahead of the 2023-24 domestic season.  As it turned out, this marked the start of his comeback, as he impressed at the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Vidarbha, scoring 779 runs, before leading his new team to the title in the Ranji Trophy, with 893 runs the following season.  Additionally, Nair also turned out with a solid performance at the 2024-25 Syed Mustaq Trophy with 255 runs at a strike rate of 170.0, before being called up to feature in the County Championship with Northamptonshire, where he scored 736 runs across two campaigns.  Check out our cricket predictions for every match at the ongoing 2025 IPL! Cricket predictions Nair Posts Quick-Fire Half-Century in Dream IPL Return After almost three years of grinding to return to prominence, Nair’s impressive form for Vidarbha and Northamptonshire was finally noticed ahead of the 2025 IPL mega auction last year, and he was handed a lifeline by the Delhi Capitals, who purchased him for just ₹50 lakhs.  However, he was forced to bide his time once again, with the Capitals, who made a storming start to the competition, opting to keep him on the sidelines for the first four matches of the competition.  Nair finally got the nod in Delhi’s fifth match when they were set to play five-time champions, the Mumbai Indians, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, smashing a sizzling 89 runs off just 40 deliveries, which included a 22-ball half century.  On top of taking India’s premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, to the cleaners in that knock, it was also his highest-ever score in the IPL and saw him become only the second player behind Jake Fraser-McGurk to score a half-century for the Capitals inside the powerplay overs.  The 33-year-old has since gone on to post 135 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 192.86, and ...

India Confirm Interest To Host 2031 Asian Cup The All India Football Federation (AIFF) formally announced their interest in hosting the 2031 Asian Cup by submitting an ‘Expression of Interest’ (EoI) to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) last month. This is now the second time that the nation has submitted a bid to the AFC to host the tournament on their shores, having also done so in 2022 for the 2027 edition, which they eventually withdrew after learning that Saudi Arabia were the front-runners.  While India have improved their infrastructure, equipping them sufficiently to host such a prestigious competition, a major football tournament has not been staged in the country since the Under-17 FIFA World Cup back in 2017.  Although India are currently participating in the ongoing AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers for the 2027 tournament, if they are granted hosting rights for the 2021 edition, they will receive direct entry to the competition, foregoing the qualifying campaign.  Their best-ever performance since the Asian Cup came into existence was finishing as runners-up in 1964. Since then, they have qualified for the main draw on four occasions (1984, 2011, 2019 and 2023), but never made it beyond the group stage.  Bharat have made major strides to put the country on the map by expressing interest in hosting several global events, including the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and the Olympic Games in 2036. They also successfully staged the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, which they won.  India are drawn into Group A for the 2027 qualifiers, and you can check out the latest AFC Asian Cup Qualification odds right here! Football predictions India To Face Tough Competition To Secure Hosting Rights During the AFC’s Executive Committee meeting, which was held in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, the president of the AFC, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, confirmed that the 2031 edition of the Asian Cup received a record-breaking field of contenders to host the premier event.  A total of six other bids were received, including from Australia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and South Korea, while Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan tabled a joint bid for hosting rights.  Australia are widely believed to be among the favourites to be selected, having hosted and won the tournament in 2015. They are also set to stage the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup following withdrawals from Jordan, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia.  From here, the AFC will begin engaging with the seven nations in the running with a workshop scheduled later in April, leading up to their final decision, which will be announced by the AFC Congress in 2026.  Don’t forget, you can enjoy all the minute-by-minute action from the tournament using our Asian Cup livescore tool here on SportyTrader! Football predictions

Islamabad United Aiming For Back-To-Back PSL Titles The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League is in full flight, and with 12 games now complete, it is the defending champions, Islamabad United, who have set their stall out as the team everyone is trying to beat again this season. ISLU have been flawless across their first four games in the competition, and currently sit atop the league standings with the maximum eight points under their belt, along with a healthy net run rate of +2.544, while they are also the only team yet to taste defeat this year. Kicking off their title defence, Shadab Khan’s side proved far too good for the Lahore Qalanders, winning the opening match of the tournament by eight wickets and with 14 balls to spare before crushing Peshawar Zalmi by a mammoth 102 runs in their second match.  A victory over Multan Sultans – the team with the highest win-loss ratio for any T20 side across the globe – followed for United, as they posted a formidable target of 203 and bowled out the Sultans for 155, with West Indian pacer Jason Holder bagging 4/25.  However, arguably Islamabad’s most commanding performance to date came on Sunday, when Shadab and Azam Khan navigated their team to a six-wicket victory and 17 balls to spare, with the skipper leading the charge, finishing on 47 runs of 40 deliveries.  Islamabad’s bowling unit was equally impressive in the victory, as Naseem Shah sent Kings’ captain David Warner back to the pavilion for just three runs, and he was soon followed by the in-form James Vince, who was dismissed for only four runs by Holder.  While there is still plenty of cricket to be played in this season’s competition, it’s clear that Islamabad United have been head and shoulders better than the rest to date, and they will be determined to solidify their status as the league leaders when they travel to Multan to face the Sultans again on Wednesday.  Be sure to keep an eye out for our cricket predictions leading up to the knockout stages of the PSL! Cricket predictions Islamabad Dominate Green and Maroon Cap Standings  Similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is ongoing in neighbouring India, the PSL offers individual accolades to players who finish as the leading run-scorer (green cap) and highest wicket-taker (maroon cap) in the competition.  Given Islamabad’s dominance over the first third of the tournament, it is perhaps unsurprising to see that both the green and maroon caps are donned by United players in the form of Sahibzada Farhan and Jason Holder, respectively.  Farhan has been sensational at the top of the order for ISLU, currently on 214 runs in his four innings at a strike rate of 166, while he also has the highest individual score in the competition to date of 106, which he posted in the team’s dismantling of Peshawar Zalmi in match five.  Holder, on the other hand, has notched up 11 wickets in just 14 ...

Baisoya Produces Stunning Comeback in Ahmedabad Delhi-native Sachin Baisoya added another feather to his cap after posting a sensational four-under 68 to win the 2025 Indorama Open Golf Championship, beating Pune’s Udayan Mane in a tense playoff on the final day of the competition.  What made the victory all the more special for the 29-year-old was that he had originally decided against participating in the tournament due to the health of his father. However, he was later persuaded to enter – a decision that earned him a stunning ₹ 30 lakh.  Baisoya began the final day a full seven shots behind Mane, but the 34-year-old from Pune had a dismal final round of 75, dropping five strokes on the final six holes (69-65-68-75), which opened the door for Baisoya, who shot 68-71-70-68. The turning point in the playoff came when Baisoya negotiated the tricky pin position on the par-four 18th hole and tapped in for par, while Mane fluffed his lines and conceded a fatal bogey, which ultimately led to his demise.  Speaking after the victory, the 29-year-old star revealed that his mentors played key roles in helping him pull off the incredible comeback: “My confidence was down over the last few weeks but my uncle and former professional Vinod Kumar helped me a lot by correcting a few things as far as my hitting was concerned. I also received valuable tips from my mentor and fellow professional Manav Jaini. As a result, my hitting improved drastically this week.” The victory was a crucial one for Baisoya, who has already won two playoffs this season, as it rocketed him all the way from 11th place to second in the PGTI Order of Merit.  India Ladies Shine in Investec SA Women’s Open At the same time Baisoya was surging to the title in Ahmedabad, India’s female golfers were putting themselves on the map at the Investec SA Women’s Open in South Africa, which was hosted by the Erinvale Country and Golf Estate in Cape Town.  The star of the tournament for the Indian women was Diksha Dagar, who weathered the windy conditions to post a four-under 68 in the final round (72-71-69-68), earning herself a second consecutive top 10 finish in South Africa (T-8) and her third of the season after finishing as the runner-up in Morocco.  Pranavi Urs also delivered a fine performance in the final round of the tournament, shooting 69 (72-67-73-69) to end tied for 11th place, while up-and-comers Avani Prashanth and Tvesa Malik finished in T-50 and T-58, respectively.  Check out the best online betting sites for golf! More sports news 

Yanited Take Outright Lead With Victory Over Deportrio Coming into Night Five of Baller League UK, only two teams held unbeaten records in Yanited, managed by YouTuber Angry Ginge, and Deportrio, led by former football greats and the hosts of the podcast The Rest Is Football, Micah Richards, Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker.  What made this all the more relevant was that these sides were set to put their unbeaten records on the line, facing each other for the first time this season in a match that would decide the front-runners in the inaugural season of Baller League UK.  Leading up to the match, all the best online betting sites had installed Deportrio as the clear favourites, and while Shearer and Lineker were not in attendance, Richards was on the bench and full of confidence that his side would remain unbeaten at London’s Copper Box Arena.  However, Yanited, donning the famous colours of Newton Heath, have arguably been the most solid-looking team in the league over the first four weeks, and Angry Ginge had no doubt that his side would emerge with the three points.  In fact, the YouTuber was so confident in his side’s chances that he proposed a wager if his team won! Angry Ginge is well known for wearing a pair of crocs that features the Cars character Lightning McQueen, and ahead of the match, he wagered that if Yanited beat Deportrio, Richards would need to wear his crocs live on Sky Sports. If Yanited lost, Angry Ginge would have had to wear a blonde wig for an entire stream.  As it turned out, Yanited were too good for Deportrio on the night and secured a 3-0 victory, with Razzaq Coleman, Henry Ochieng, and star player Tyler Winters all getting on the scoresheet to keep their side’s unbeaten record intact, while forcing Richards to fulfil his side of the bet.  The victory kept Angry Ginge’s side at the top of the table with 15 points and as the only team yet to taste defeat. Deportrio dropped to third place with 13 points, one point below Sidemen star Tobi Brown’s VZN FC. Football predictions Troy Deeney Sent Off On Baller League UK Debut Baller League features a unique set of rules that have bridged the gap between traditional football and entertainment, and one of these rules is that teams are allowed to bring in Wildcard players on any match night.  Over the first four Nights, we have already seen former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott feature for Deportrio and ex-Liverpool winger Jordan Ibe suit up for John Terry’s 26ers, while on Night 5, Ian Wright’s Wembley Rangers AFC called up Troy Deeney.  Deeney, the former captain of Watford FC, is known for his no-nonsense, physical style of play, and even at 36, he still possesses that competitive spirit, as we saw last night when he left one on an FC RTW defender just minutes into his debut.  The tackle, which was committed right under the nose of referee Mark Clattenburg, ...

Ferdinand Urges Man United To Sign Osimhen this Summer The 2024-25 season has been Manchester United’s worst in the Premier League era, with the Red Devils currently languishing in 14th place, with just 38 points heading into the final five matches of the campaign.  United suffered their 15th defeat of the season – their most in a single EPL campaign – this past weekend, when they failed to find the back of the net and lost 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford, much to the frustration of the home crowd.  One of the major contributors to the Red Devils’ downward spiral this term has been a lack of attacking output, with the team having scored only 38 goals to date, which is the sixth-worst tally in the top flight behind the bottom three teams, as well as Everton and West Ham United. While a lack of creativity is also a major issue, Norwegian international Rasmus Hojlund has endured a very difficult season, scoring just three goals in 28 matches, while Joshua Zirkzee has three in 32 games and is now ruled out for the rest of the campaign due to injury.  Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap is the front-runner to move to Old Trafford next season, but Rio Ferdinand believes that the Red Devils need a tried and tested striker to bolster their attack. He said:  « If I am Man United, Victor Osimhen comes to Man United next year. I want someone who knows their way around a football pitch at the elite level and knows how to score at the elite level consistently. Osimhen has done that. I want here and now. Yes, Osimhen has not played in the Premier League but I don’t care. I think he scores wherever he goes. » The Super Eagles frontman has been in sensational form since joining Turkish giants Galatasaray on loan from Napoli. He is currently the top scorer in the Super Lig with 21 goals in 25 games, and is being linked to a host of Premier League sides at present, including Arsenal. Catch all of Osimhen’s goals for the remainder of the season using our football livescore tool here on SportyTrader!  Premier League predictions Osimhen to Replace Garnacho At Man United Next Season? While Ferdinand made clear his reasons for Man United’s need to bring in an elite-level attacker next term, he also suggested that the club allow Alejandro Garnacho to move in the opposite direction in order to make the deal happen.  Napoli and the Red Devils have a good business relationship, with the Serie A side having bought Scott McTominay from the English giants at the start of the season, when they also indicated their interest in Garnacho.  It is understood that Gli Azzurri had even tabled a bid for the Argentine international ahead of the transfer deadline, but United turned down the offer as it failed to meet their evaluation of the 20-year-old winger.  Ferdinand went on to name ...

Why Was the I-League Title Announcement Delayed? When the curtain closed on the 2024-25 I-League season, Churchill Brothers finished at the top of the standings with 40 points, but their title presentation was delayed as they were forced to wait for a confirmation from the Appeals Committee of the AIFF.  The reason for this revolved around a match between second-placed Inter Kashi and Namdhari SC, where the former lost the match but appealed the result to the Appeals Committee, citing that their opponents had fielded an ineligible player in the contest.  Inter Kashi ended the season one point behind Churchill Brothers, meaning that if the Appeals Committee upheld the claim and awarded them three points for the match, they would move two points above Churchill Brothers in the league standings.  With no decision made by the end of the season, the Red Machines believed that they were the rightful champions and voiced strong opposition, indicating perceived injustice, before opting to withdraw from the AIFF Kalinga Super Cup in protest. The club released the following statement:  « Today, our I-League trophy count still reads “2” instead of “3. » Not because we didn’t earn it. But because someone decided we didn’t deserve to be celebrated. Because the AIFF stayed silent. And now they want us to quietly play the Super Cup? No. We are withdrawing. Because this is not football anymore. This is theatre—and the ending was scripted. » The Appeals Committee had originally set a date of April 28 to provide a final decision, but revealed the final outcome this past Saturday, April 19.  Football predictions AIFF Appeals Committee Declare Churchill Brothers I-League Champions After initial investigations, the AIFF Appeals Committee upheld Inter Kashi’s appeal and awarded them three points for the match against Namdhari, but the Punjab-based outfit appealed against the verdict, forcing the AIFF to review the situation once again.  Following further reviews, the AIFF finally turned down Inter Kashi’s appeal on April 19, meaning that the league table would remain as is, giving Churchill Brothers their third I-League title and their first in 12 years. The verdict by the AIFF read:  « As per an order received from the AIFF Appeals Committee on Saturday, April 19, 2025, on the appeal by Namdhari Football Club regarding Match No. 45 of I-League 2024-25, Churchill Brothers FC Goa, who have the highest number of points in the league, are now the champions. » Despite the AIFF’s final decision, the matter is still up in the air, with Inter Kashi confirming that they are now preparing to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for further consideration.  Check out our Bengaluru vs. Inter Kashi prediction right here on SportyTrader! Football predictions Churchill Brothers Refuse to Participate in Super Cup  Following the AIFF’s decision to award Churchill Brothers the I-League title, there was expectation that the Goan side would retract their decision to withdraw from the Kalinga Super Cup, which got underway the day after the final verdict.  However, the Red Machines’ owner, ...

India Hold Firm Against Stiff Competition  India were drawn into a challenging section during the Asia/ Oceania Group Stage, pitted alongside China, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and the formidable South Korea, whom they lost to in three of their last four encounters.  Heading into the final match of the group, Team India were set to face the Koreans in a do-or-die contest, and they rose to the occasion in some style, with Shrivalli Bhamidipaty giving them the perfect start by winning her singles match.  Bhamidipaty was made to work for the win, though. Facing Park Sohyun, Bhamidipaty was outplayed and dropped the first set, but she came storming back thereafter, clinching the second set 6-3, before holding her nerve in the final set that required a tiebreaker to decide.  In the doubles category, Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare teamed up in spectacular fashion, showing off their incredible chemistry and determination to overcome the duo of Sohyun Park and Dabin Kin in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.  While Raina’s ability and composure under pressure are well-known to Indian tennis fans, Thombare’s performance in the match was truly outstanding, as she displayed incredible consistency throughout the match and closed out games with aplomb.  The victory was a momentous one for Indian women’s tennis, as it marked only the second time that India earned qualification to the Billie Jean Cup World Group Playoffs, with the previous instance coming back in 2020 under the leadership of Vishaal Uppal.  Uppal played a crucial role in this tournament as well, responsible for creating and implementing the team’s strategies, while also serving as a mentor for the players through the highs and lows they experienced during the competition. There is plenty of action from the courts across the globe ongoing at present, and you can keep up with every match by using our tennis livescore tool! Tennis predictions What’s Next for the India Tennis Team?  The victory in the Asia/ Oceania Group Stage means that Team India have now earned their right of entry to the Billie Jean King Cup World Group Playoffs, where they will come up against some of the best singles and doubles players from across the globe.  Their immediate challenge with be against the top-performers at the 2025 Regional Group I events and the Playoffs will be contested as groups of three teams with the winners securing their place at the 2026 qualifiers.  The 2025 Billie Jean King Cup finals will be staged between September 16 and 21 at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre in China, featuring eight teams: Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Spain, Ukraine, China, and the United States.  Our tennis predictions will be available for all the headline matches, so be sure to check them out closer to the start of the competition.  Tennis predictions